In the end, it was all rather more anxious than Arsenal had hoped. No, it was
not quite the white-knuckle ride that the scoreline might suggest, but that
probably lies ahead after their loss against Napoli last night sent Arsène
Wenger’s team hurtling towards a collision with one of the Champions League
elite in the round of 16.

The taste of defeat has become an unfamiliar one for Arsenal this season, and
perhaps given the way their campaign is unfolding, Wenger will be relieved
that this setback came in the Champions League rather than the Barclays
Premier League.